USCCB lauds Kerry actions on Arms Trade Treaty, Iran negotiations

Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, praised Secretary of State John Kerry for signing the Arms Trade Treaty and for “entering into substantive negotiations with Iran over their nuclear program.”

“A diplomatic solution with Iran is much preferable to military action, which could have unpredictable and dramatic repercussions for the region,” Bishop Pates said in an October 4 letter. “A peaceful resolution will require direct, sustained negotiations over a period of time.”

The Arms Trade Treaty, which regulates international trade in conventional weapons, was overwhelmingly approved by the United Nations on April 2. Ratification of the treaty requires approval by two thirds of the members of the United States Senate.

When the UN approved the Arms Trade Treaty, the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations issued a statement of tepid support.

“The inclusion of a single type of violence alone in the text of this treaty, namely ‘gender-based violence,’ in our estimation constitutes a peculiar and discriminatory disservice to the innumerable victims of atrocities who are targeted on account of their ethnicity or race, as well as their political, religious or other beliefs or opinion,” Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, the Holy See’s permanent observer, added at the time.

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This treaty doesn't just regulate international arms trade; it will also allow the UN to interfere with our 2nd amendment right to bear arms. You fail to mention the strong opposition to this treaty that has been voiced by US citizens. No UN treaty should be allowed to usurp rights enumerated in the US Constitution.

Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Oct. 08, 2013 9:00 PM ET USA

It's the American people who forced Kerry to back down from his rattling the sabers against Syria and Iran that should be lauded. This message, sent loud and clear through the halls of Congress, made the Obama Adminsitration back away from war. Imagine what could happen if our people did the same in regard to abortion.